I can’t believe Apple’s AR/VR headset project is in trouble because I believe in Apple – and in Tim Cook.
None of this makes sense. Apple builds elegant technology for the masses. It fixes whatever ails previous iterations of the thing, shows us all how it’s done, and proceeds to dominate the market. That’s the formula for everything from the iPod (RIP) to the AirPods. The rumored Apple AR/VR headset project, however, is apparently marching to the beat of a different drummer.
Every new report I read about the project depicts it as being in turmoil. The New York Times (opens in new tab) points to „rare dissent“ among Apple’s ranks regarding the supposed $3,000 headset. There are, it’s being suggested in various reports, concerns about the price, the technology, and the market.
On price, I still can’t believe that Apple would ever come to market with a $3,000 piece of hardware that only a rarified few could afford to touch. That’s not how Apple has traditionally built a market. Granted, Apple doesn’t make cheap or always affordable products, but they’re usually somewhere within market range.
Apple does target enterprise with some of its products, though those offerings usually spring out of a consumer range of products. Would there be a Mac Pro without the iMac or Macbook Air?
I’m equally surprised to hear leakers claim that not only will the headset not fit over glasses, but that Apple possibly plans on selling optional subscription lenses for the dual 4K displays. That sounds awkward, and very un-Apple-like. It would also be a case of Apple not learning from those who came before them. Proper eye calibration and clarity, with or without glasses, are a hallmark of VR quality. Anything less would be a disaster.
